In November 2002, AdipoGenix and J&J entered a drug discovery collaboration in which AdipoGenix has utilized its proprietary human fat cell based technologies for discovering compounds that reduce the fat content of human fat cells from J&J’s compound collection.
In addition, AdipoGenix has been characterizing the mechanisms of action and identifying molecular targets for the highest priority of the active compounds that were discovered.
This latest milestone was for the successful identification of the molecular target for one of J&J’s active compounds that was discovered earlier in the collaboration. Financial details were not disclosed.
“AdipoGenix’s human fat cell-based discovery technology is unique and we believe that treating obesity by targeting human fat with pharmaceuticals that reduce fat content is distinctive and an important new approach for combating the growing obesity epidemic,” Monique Berwaer, principal scientist and metabolic diseases team leader at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical R&D.